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MLS

ESPN Presents MLS Decision Day

Whip-Around Programming; Cross-Platform Coverage of Major League Soccer’s Season-Ending Weekend

ESPN will present MLS Decision Day presented by AT&T – the final day of the 2017 Major League Soccer regular season – on Sunday, Oct. 22, with a live two-hour whip-around show with highlights and look-ins to all 11 league matches being played simultaneously. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.

With 68 points this season, Toronto FC needs a win or draw to break the MLS single-season point record, set by the 1998 LA Galaxy.

Three of the four MLS Cup Playoffs first-round byes are still up for grabs. Four Eastern Conference teams are chasing the No. 2 seed behind Toronto. The two byes in the West will be decided by four teams, including all three Cascadia clubs – Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

With 24 goals this season, Chicago Fire’s Nemanja Nikolic has a comfortable three-goal lead for Golden Boot honors as MLS’s top goal-scorer. Nikolic could be challenged for the boot on MLS Decision Day, or a second straight hat trick could help him tie the single-season scoring record.

Last chance for players to state their MVP case: Portland’s Diego Valeri, Chicago’s Nikolic, Atlanta’s Josef Martinez and reigning MVP David Villa are among the favorites.

C. United will host the New York Red Bulls in the final MLS game at RFK Stadium – a D.C. sports landmark and one of MLS’s original stadiums. D.C. will move into a new stadium next season.

The panel will also discuss the top MLS/U.S. soccer topics of the day – reports of Columbus Crew SC’s potential relocation, MLS expansion, U.S. Men’s National Team’s failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and more.

Sunday at 1 a.m. ET overnight (10 p.m. PT) on ESPN2, Dan Thomas, Herculez Gomez and Moreno will discuss MLS Decision Day games on ESPN FC presented by Heineken, the daily soccer news, highlights and analysis program. The program will also preview the matchups on Friday (ESPNEWS at 6 p.m.).